China has asserted that the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel, which was at the receiving end of a "blinding" laser light by Chinese Coast Guard, was intruding the Chinese waters sans permission.
In a statement on Tuesday, Feb. 14, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said the PCG vessel entered the Ren’ai Reef, which is part of China’s Nansha Islands, with no permission.
"On February 6, a Philippine Coast Guard vessel intruded into the waters off the Ren’ai Reef without Chinese permission," Wang said.
He stressed that the move of the Chinese Coast Guard to point a laser light, which the PCG claimed caused "temporary blindness" to the vessel's crew, was a professional and restrained way to uphold China's sovereignty and maritime order.
"In accordance with China’s domestic law and international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the China Coast Guard ship upheld China’s sovereignty and maritime order and acted in a professional and restrained way," Wang said.
China's side also sought respect from the Philippines and asked to avoid taking actions that could complicate the situation as the matter is now under diplomatic communication.
"We hope the Philippine side will respect China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea and avoid taking any actions that may exacerbate disputes and complicate the situation," Wang said.
"China and the Philippines are in communication on this through diplomatic channels," Wang added.
According to PCG, a Chinese Coast Guard vessel with bow number 5205 pointed the laser light towards BRP Malapascua (MRRV-4403) in Ayungin Shoal past 6 p.m. on Feb. 6 while it was supporting a rotation and resupply (RoRe) mission of the Philippine Navy (PN).
PCG spokesperson Commodore Armando Balilo said "the Chinese ship illuminated the green laser light twice toward the BRP Malapascua, causing temporary blindness to her crew at the bridge” as BRP Malapascua reached a 10 nautical mile distance from Ayungin Shoal.
Last year, a Chinese Coast Guard vessel also prevented a Philippine vessel from coming close to Ayungin Shoal at a distance of 2.95 nautical miles to deliver supplies to the troops of BRP Sierra Madre.
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